Variable-speed mechanism.



V. W. PAGE.A l VARIABLE SPEED MECHANISM. n l I APPLICATION mw mms. 1913. l

l 1,223,514. Patented Apr.24,1917.

A 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i ATTORNEY, 5

UNTTED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

VICTOR W. PAGE, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE NEW DEPARTURE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION F CONNECTICUT.

VARIABLE-SPEED MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented apn-24, 1917.

Application `filed January 16, 1913. Serial No. 742,322.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, VICTOR W. PAG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bristol, county of Hartford, State of Gon- .necticut, have invented a certain new and useful Variable-Speed Mechanism, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the.

accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. v.

My invention relates to variable speed mechanisms and more particularly tohubs.

Previously, in attempts to construct variable speed free engine hubs for motorcycles and the like, diiiculty has-been experienced in attempting to provide a device having its driving connections so -arranged and its mechanism so compact as to adapt the device for installation in the driving wheel' p without alteration to the wheel and the vehicle frame.

One object of my inventlon 1s to provide a variable speed 'and free engine hub whose `parts are so arranged as to make the device of a size ,to permit of its being laced into the rear wheel and placed in the frame of a motorcycle of the ordinary type Without alteration tothe frame.

Another object is to provide a device of the character indicated which, while strong porting the brakes and showing the brakes mounted thereon.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention there is shown a hub, designated generally as 1. The axle 2 of the hub is adapted to be .nourotatably connected with the frame of a vehicle as by means of the anchor arm 3. The hub 1 comprises the inner driver sleeve 4 and the outer hub, or spoke carrying, shell 5 spaced from and surrounding the sleeve 4. Both the driver sleeve 4 and the hub shell 5 are rotatably mounted with respect to each other and to the axle. f n

The driver sleeve 4 may be driven, as from the engine (not shown), through-the sprocket 6, and the motion A,thus imparted to the sleeve may be transmitted .to the hub shell .at dierent speed ratios, or the sleeve and' shell may, if desired, run free of each other. v

The direct high. speed driving connec tion is preferably provided, as in the illusvtrated device, by the disk clutch 7,- preferably arranged inthe space between the sleeve 4 and the shell, and which, when active, prevents rotation of the hub shell with respect to the driverA sleeve. 4When the clutch 7 is released the direct driving connection is inactive and, unless the slow speed mechanism be thrown in, the shell and sleeve run free each of the other.

An indirect slow speed driving connection 1s preferably provided, as in the illustrated device, by the epicyclic or planetary drive designated generally as 8. The main external gear 9 of the drive- 8 is carried by the driver sleeve, the planet gears 10 bythe support 11 attached to the hub shell, and

,the outer internal gear 12 by the rotatively mountedy carrier 13, all preferably arranged within the hub shell. The carrier 13 may be held from rotation by the brake 14.

As here shown, the rotary parts ofthe mechanism are supported upon the main bearings 15 and 57, both drives are arranged between the bearings, and but little structure, and no structure of large diameter or width, such as clutch casings, drive casings or the like, lies, to any material extent, outside (longitudinally of the axle) of the bearings. yPreferably the bearings 15 and 57 are spaced apart but the standard distance adopted for motorcycles. It will be seen, therefore, that the hub is of such dimensions as to permit of its installation in the frame of a motorcycle without alteration of the rear' forks or other parts of the frame.

In operation, with the carrier 1B free to 'rotate` and theclutch 7 active, the driving of the shellby thedriverfis direct; Iwith. the

carrier free to rotate and the clutch released,

" the dri-versleeve and. hubrshell rare disconnected. and `.the engine runs free of the.

' by the driver is indirect and a, reduction of tio speed is effected Y betweenthe driver sleeve and the hubshell. l

As illustrated, thegdriviiig member or ysleeve 4 is supported, in addition to its support by the before mentioned thrust and radial bearing 15, by a support, as16, bearing directly upon the axle 2 and rigidly con-- nested with the sleeve at its end, as indicated at 17, The driven member, here shown as thebefore referred to ydriven element, hub lshell or wheel hub 5, preferably supported labout the driving element-4 as by antifriction `members 13y and -19 traveling,-respectivelyupon r asupport` 2O of comparatively large diameter, ywhich mayconveniently be an enlargement ,of theelement. 4 as shown, and a support 21 also of' compara-- tively,` large diameter Which may conven-v ientlybe provided bythe outer surface of 'the gear 12, as shown. i

By the above recited construction there is provided a space 22 between'the members 4 and 5 in which may, conveniently for compactness,be received the before referred to, clutch 7. As illustrated,thisclutch is of the friction disk type and, in it, certain of the disks, as'23, are slidably and non-rotatably y attached to the shell 5,-as by keying at 24, While' the intermediate disks, as 25, are

slidably andnon-rotatably connected to the sleeve 4.

As'illustrated, the latter connection is provided byl s lidably keying, as at 29, the disks 25 to a sleeve orelement 26 which element is, inturn, slidably and non-rotatably connected tothe driving member by' the pins, or members, 27 fixed tothe -sleeve 26 and projecting through' `the slots `28 yin the driver sleeve.

The clutch is preferably normally activeand therefore the clutch disks are normally held in-driving engagement as by expanding springs 30 conyenientlycarried by the driver sleeve 44 and expanding against a laterally shiftable partition 31. The partition. is forced against the outermost clutch disk 23 and, so, the disks are pressed against each other, and the innermostdisk is forced against theI abutment 32. The partition 31 is carried by the sleeve 26 and, as shown, the sleeve ext ands from rthe partition longitudinallv of #he series of clutch disks.

I preferably provide means for releasing the clutch and', as `here shoWma shifting member or actuator, shown as an oscillatable sleeve 33, is carried by the axle 2. A portion of this sleevecarries threads tomesh with corresponding threads 35 upon a laterally shiftable transfer member 36. "Themember 36 is adapted for operative connection With the beforereferred to pins 27 connected |to the sleeve 26. lt Will be seen that the longitudinally extending sleeve 26 allows of the pins 27v being placed to one side of the partition 31. and vradially beneath the clutch disks. Thus the means for actuating the partition may be putk radially beneath the ,clutcl1` disks, giving a compact structure.

"The operative connection between the" transfer member 36 and the ,pins 27 may be conveniently effected by the ring 37 andthe ball thrustbearing 38. A The sleeve 33 may be. oscillated by the lever 39 rigidly attached thereto as by the pins 40. Longitudinal movement of the sleeve 33 may be restricted by the cone 41 of the antifriction bearing 42 and the shoulder 2a of the axle. Rotatiwe movement of the transfer element 36 maybe prevented as by the pin 43 car-i i ried by the axle and projecting into the slot 44 of the transfer element.

Thus', when the parts are as illustrated,

the clutch 7 is active and the driving of the shell by the driver is direct. When the lever 39 is oscillated clockwise (viewed from the left) the transfer member travels to the left (on the threads 34) and the sleeve 26 is moved to the left tocompress the springs 30 and relieve the clutch disks from pressure whereby the clutch is released andthehigh speed driving connection is rendered ineffective. i

Preferably, and as here shown, sleeve 33 carries, fixed with respect theretoeas integral therewith, the inner race member 45 of the antifriction thrust andv radial bearing 15. In this Way the actuator 33'also serves as a support of a race member of the bearing 15 `tending to simplicity, and also the sleeve is conveniently extended into the hub movement between the driving element 4 and the outer member 46 of the antifriction bearing15 may conveniently beA effected by the Washer'47 abutting the shoulder 48 of the driving element and the abutmentornut 49 carried by the projection 50 of the driving element.

Preferably, and as here shown, the driv- 'i ing element carries' With it the before `'referred to support 16 of reduced diameter and, as shown, this support is conveniently formed toproyide the before referred to main external gear 9 of the slow speed planetary drive. In this way a large annular space 51 1s provided between the outer hub shell, which latter preferably extendsv longitudinally of the axle beyond the sleeve 4, and the main gear, within which space may be received the planet gears 10 and the internal gear 12. This construction is conducive to compactness, since in it both theV planetary drive` and the direct drive as well as the transfer member are placed within the hub shell and between the bearings 15 and 57.

,'As here shown, the planet gears are carried upon studs 52 connected to the nuter The studs 52 are shown as car ried by the before referred to support 11 here shown as a ring peripherally attached to the shell 4 as by screws 54. Conveniently the abutment 32 provides as a part thereof, and in a single piece therewith, the ring 11,

as indicated at 55 and thus serves both as anabutment for theclutch at one face and p as a support for the planet gears at the other the pin 71 upon the support.

face', thus tending to simplicity and compactness. If desired the studs may be additionally supported by means such as the ring 56. 4

As here shown the outer internal gear 12 is carried by the before referred to carrier 13 rotatably mounted upon the-axle 2 as by the before referred to antifriction bearing 57. The outer race member 58 of the bearing 57 may conveniently be held in. position by the shoulder 59 of the carrier and the nut 60 threaded to the carrier, while the inner race member 61 may be held in position by the Washer 62 and the shoulder 63 of the axle and by the member 64.

Suitable means, here shown as thebefore referred to brake 14, are provided for holding the carrier 13 against rotation thereby to throw in the slow speed drive. The brake is here shown as in the character of an eX pansible band, in position to be expanded into brakingr contact with the' surface 66 or' a member 67 connected to the carrier 13 and which may conveniently be a part thereof.

The band 14 is conveniently supported upon the support orplate 68. The connection between the support 68 and the brake band is preferably effected by meansof a plurality of supporting pins 69, and by the j awed lug 70 upon the brake and embracing The spring 72 normally assists in holding the band from braking contact. y

I prefer to expand the band by means of .an oscillatively mounted cam 73 placed besurface 66.`

ing stud 77 conveniently mounted on the support, spreads the ends 74, apart and presses the band into braking engagement. During such expansion the spring 72 is tensioned and Jthe lug 70 slides upon the pin 71 bringing practically the entire braking surface oftheband into contact withl the I prefer 1 Y provide a brake for the hub shell. Such'. rake ishere shown asI similar to the brake for the carrier 13. This second brake coperates withgthe surface 78 of the hub shellandcomprises a band 79 carried upon the support 68, and concentric with the band 14,-by pins 80, 80, lug 81 and the pin 82. The band is held by the spring 83 Land is expanded by means of the lcam` 84 located between the spaced ends 85, 86,*and mounted. upon the stud 87 which latter may be moved by meansof the lever 88 under the control of the rider.

The support 68may be held from rotation by the before referred to anchor arm 3 for anchorage to the vehicle frame (not shown )and held fast vto the support 68y as by the pin 89.

'By mounting both brakes upon a single support the structure isl simplified, as two separate supports are eliminated resulting in compactness and simplicity of parts.

It will be seen that I have provideda variable speed and free engine hub which is very compact, simple, and strong and ,Capable of easy installation in any of the usual forms of wheel without alteration to the frameof the vehicle. y vIt will alsob'e seen that I have provided a hub of this character all of the parts of which are assembled upon the'y axle and held thereon whereby the device, asa unit, maybe handled, installed in and removed from the frame without disturbing its adjustment. And it will also be seen that I have provided a device of the character indicated. which, while strong and eflicient.

has its partsv well protected and also ar` f ranged with great compactness.

Having thus described my invention, what I clalmvas new and desire .to secure by Inetters Patent is: Y

1. In a. cycle hub, a driving member` a driven hub shell member, a direct driving connection and ,an indirect driving connection therebetween, and comlnon means rcarried by one of said members for supporting an element of said direct connection andfor supporting an'element of said indirect:l connection; substantially as described.

2. In a cycle hub, the combination with a drivingl member. a driven hub shell member, a friction diskdirect drive for con iis - members and an indirect driving connection between said members; such friction disk drive comprising a series of disksslidably inounted with respect to each other and thrust means for forcing said disks toslide;

of a common' means for limiting the sliding of said disks under the action of said thrust means and for'supporting an element of said indirect driving connection; substantially as described.

5. In a multi-speed cycle hub, an axle, a

driving member and a driven spoke-carry-v ing hub shell member rotatable about said axle, two optionally active driving connections, vof different speed ratios, between said members, one of said connections including gearing and said connections when inactive permitting said driving member to continuously rotate forwardly free of Said hub shell, said hub shell receiving said driving Amember and said connections, and a radially extending member for supporting, at the one side wallthereof, an element of one of said conl/ectionsand for supporting, at the other sid wall thereof, a gear of the gear-'includl ing connection; substantially as described.

6. In a device of the character indicated, a generally cylindrical driving member, a generally cylindrical driven member surrounding and spaced from said driving member, a driving clutch for connecting said members arranged in said space and having a portion subjected to thrust, a planetary drive for connecting said members and in said space, and an annular abutment in said space and carried with said driven member for supporting said portion of said clutch under such thrust, said abutment being connected to and serving as a support for a planet gear of said drive; substantially as described.

7. In a device of the character indicated,

a generally cylindrical driving member. a generally cylindrical driven member'` surrounding and spaced from said driving member, a friction disk clutch for connecting said members comprising annuli received' in said space, surrounding said driv'- ing member and slidable relative thereto and thrust means for forcing said disks into contact and tending to slide the same, a planetary drive for connecting said members and received in said space, and an annular abutment for said clutch disks for limiting sliding thereof 'andfin said space and carried with said driven member, said abutment be-l ing connected `to and serving as a support for a planet gear of said drive; substantially as described.

8. In a device of the character indicated, a generally cylindrical driving member, a generally Icylindrical. driven member surrounding and spaced from said driving member, a friction disk clutch for connecting said members comprising annuli received in said space, surrounding said driving member' and slidable relative thereto and thrust means for forcing said disks into contact and tending to slide the same,` a planetary drive for connecting said members and received in said space, and an annular abutment for said disks to limit sliding thereof, received in said space, attached at its periphery to said driven member and located between said clutch and said drive, the one face thereof being in contact with one of said disks and the other face thereof carrying supported thereo'n a planet gear of said drive; substantially as-described` 9. In a device of the character indicated, 95 an axle, a sleeve mounted upon said axle and spaced therefrom, a hub shell surrounding said sleeve and axle, spa'ce'dtherefrom, and extending longitudinally of said axle beyond said sleeve, a controllable -di flee rect driving connection between said sleeve and shell and in the space therebetween, controlling means for said connection having a portion thereof received in the space between said vsleeve and said axle, a p'lane- '105 tary indirect drive for connecting said sleeve and shell and encompassed by 'said shell,

vand a support carried with said sleeve and from, and extending longitudinally of said axle beyond said sleeve, a controllable direct driving connection between said sleeve and shell and in the space therebetween, controlling means for said connection having a portion thereof received in the space lbetween saidI sleeve and said axle, and a plane-- tary indirect drive for connecting said sleeve and shell such drive being located beyond the sleeve longitudinally of vsaid axle and within said shell; substantially as described.

. 11. In a device of the-character indicated,

the combination with a driving -member and a driven member, one. of said members being arranged about and surrounding the o element may drive said shell at selectedA 12. In a deviceof the character indicated, the combinatioii with an axle, a driving member and a driven member mounted upon said axle, one vof said members being arranged about, spaced from and surrounding the other and of greater length longi-` tudinally of said axlethan such other mein, i ber, of a plurality of separate driving con-"c I'and transmitting means, said connections and nections comprising a friction` disk clutch"V ed 'by said other member; substantially as p nections for said members, one of said con-l and'being located in the space between said members, and another of said connections"` being located lbetween-.said axle and said surrounding Imember `and beyond said surrounded member longitudinally of said axle, and received within said surrounding member; substantially as described.

13. In a device of the character indicated,

the combination with adriving member and a driven member, one of said members be- 'ing arranged about, spaced from and surrounding the other, of a friction disk drive for connecting said members arranged inv the space therebetween, and a planetary drive for connecting said members arranged` forv transmitting the thrust of such means to j said bearing; substantially a's'described. 14'. In a hub, the combination with an axle and a hub shell vcarried thereby, of an element for. driving said shell, a plurality of within said surrounding member; substantially as described.

driving 1 connections whereby f said driving speed ratios and whereby, said driving element mayy continuousl rotate forwardly free of said shell, said e ement `and `said con-y nections being carried by said axle and received within said shell, and means upon said axle for holding said shell and said Velement and said connections assembled upon said axle; substantially as described.'-

15. 1n a cycle hub, the combination with an axle adapted for mounting in the frame" of a cycle and a spoke-carrying hub shellrotatably 4mounted upon said axle, of' an element rotatably carried .by said axle and for driving said shell, a plurality of driving connections carried by said axle 'and ywhereby said driving element can'drive said shell f at selected speed ratios and whereby said driving element may continuously" rotate forwardly free of said shell; said element and said connections being received within said shell; and means uponl said axle fdr@ holding said shell, said element and said connections assembled witheach other and a thrust bearing forsupporting said osciltween comprising thrust means for maintaindrive for connecting said members,

ing said connection active and thrusting againstv one of said members, nan indirect vdriving connection between said members,

means for supporting portions of each of Isaid connections and connected to one of said members, means for controlling said controllable connection, thrust sustaining means for supporting a portion of said controlling means, and means for connecting said mem-v ber subjected tothrust and said portion and vfor transmitting suchl thrust to said thrust sustaining means; one of said members, said thrust means, 'supporting means, connecting said portion being received in and surroundingrotatableabout said sleeve, a high speed and a low speed driving connection between said sleeve and shell, one of said connections being releasable and, comprising thrust means for maintaining such connection active, and releasing means fory such` connection including an oscillatable member, and a thrust bearing for said oscillatable member, there being a connection between said thrust means and said oscillatable member 1,8. Ina' multi-speed device, an axle, a driver sleeve, a hub shell, said sleeve being rotatable about said axle and said shell be-v sleeve, means for releasing such connection and comprising an oscillatable sleeve carried upon said axle, a thrust bearing connecting said vdriver sleeve and oscillatable sleeve, and

j and: abutting. and thrusting yagainst said a thrust bearing for supporting said oscillatable sleeve; substantiallyl as described.

"19.- In a multi-speed device, an axle, a`

driver sleeve, a hub shell, said sleeve being rotatable about said axle and said-shell be- -ing rotatable about said sleeve, a high speed and a low speed driving connection between said sleeve' and shell, one of said connections being releasable and comprising a thrust spring for maintaining the connection active and abutting and thrusting against said w-sleeve, means forv releasing suchy connection and-comprising an oscillatable sleeve carried fupon said axle, a. thrustbearing connecting said 'driver sleeve and oscillatalble sleeve, and

member, a driven member, and a plurality.

of driving connections, 'of different speed ratios, between said members; one of said connections being 'a `friction' plate clutch comprising a `longitudinally extending set of friction plates slidably and non-rotatably related to the driving member and a similar set similarly related to the driven member,

thrust means for controlling the activity of f the clutch, a longitudinally movable partitionv disposed between said thrust means and certain of the plates of one of said sots, an element fixed to said partition with respect to longitudinal sliding and extending longitudinally therefrom and for a distance along the length of the sets of friction plates, a

member ixed to said element with respect to long igitudinalA sliding and longitudinally spaced from said partition, and means oper:-

ative'ly related to such member'for longitudinally moving the same to control. the `activity of said thrust means; substantially as described.

21. In a multi-speed device, a driving member, a driven member, and a plurality of driving connections, of different speed ratios, between said members; one of saidA connections being a friction plate clutch `comprising a set of friction plates slidably and non-r'ota-tably` related to the driving member anda similar set similarly related to the driven member,` thrust means for connl trolling the activity of the clutch, an ele" ment slidable and non-rotatable relative to one of said members and by which the plates correlated with su'cl1 member are cari 'certain of the plates of one of said sets, a'

ried, a partition carried by said element and fixed against longitudinal sliding thereon and disposed between said thrust means and member fixed to said element with'respect to longitudinal sliding, and means opera- Atively related to said-member for longitudif -nally moving the same to slide the element, Iand thereby the partition, thereby to control the activity of said thrust'means; substantially as described. i

22. In a multi-speed device, an axle, a

Vgenerally cylindrical slotted` driving mem` ber rotatably carried upon said axle and spaced therefrom, a driven shell rotatably carried upon said axle and surrounding said driving member and spaced therefrom, a

' clutch comprising sliding friction disks .for

member to the interior of such member to mastic slidably and non-rotatably connect said sleeve with said driving member, a screwtlireadedineinber oscillatably carried upon said axle and projecting into the interior of said driving member, a nut carried upon such member and operatively connected with said pin; and an indirect driving connection between said driving member and said shell also mounted upon said` axle; substantially as described.

23. In a multi-speed device, an axle, a driver member, a driven member, said yinembers being rotatably carried upon said axle and said driven member being provided with a braking surface, a direct driving connection and a speed-change driving connection between said members, said speed-change connection comprising a gear adapted when held stationary to control the activity of such connection, a carrier for said gear rotatably carried upon said axle and provided with a braking surface adjacent the braking surface of said driven member, Va support rigidly carried upon .said axle and adjacent said braking surfaces, a pair of brakes carried upon said support and co erative with said braking surfaces, means 'or controlling said brakes, and means for controlling said direct connection; substantially as described.

Qfiuln a multi-speed device, an axle, a

driver member, a driven member, said members being rotatably carried upon said axle and said driven member being provided withl an annular brakingsurface, a direct driving connection and a speed-change driving connection between said members, said speed-change connection comprising a gear adapted when held stationary to control the activity of such connection, a' carrier for said gear rotatably carried upon said axle and provided with an annular braking surface adjacent the braking surface of said driven member, va support rigidly carried upon said axle and adjacent said braking surfaces, a pair of annular band brakes carried upon said support and coperative with said braking surfaces,

"means for controlling said brakes, and means for controlling said direct connection; substantially as described.

25. In a multi-speed device, an axle, a driver member, a driven member, said members, being rotatably carried upon said axle and/'said driven member being provided with an annularbraking ysurface,`a direct driving connection and a speed-change driving connection between saidl members,

said speed-change connectiin comprising a vgear adapted when heldstationa-ryA to `coiitrol the 'activity of such connection, acarrier for said gear rotatably carried upon said axle and provided with an annular braking surface adyacent` and concentric lll with the braking surface ofv said driven said direct connection; substantially as devmember, a support `rigidly lcarried. `upon scribed.

saidA yrXle and adjacent said braking sur 'In testimony whereof, Ihereunto ax my faces, a pair of annular band bra-kes carsignature, in the presence of two Witnesses. ried upon said support and concentric with VICTOR W. PAGE. respect to each' other and coperative with Witnesses;

said brakingvsurfaces, fmeans for control- FREDERICK A. Ho'roHKiss,

ling said brakes, and means for controlling LUCY A. LANDRY.

copiez of this patent4 may be obtained for five` cents each, by addressing the- Commissioner of Iatentl, v' Washington, D. G. 

